What to expect?

[Fireblade]

I have had a consistent bp reading of 154/96 and above for several months now.  I have been on diuretics but they have made no difference at all.  I am due another visit to the bp clinic on the 27th of this month.  If this reading is the same then I am to go on another medication and Atenolol (sp) was mentioned.  I must admit to being a little concerned about all this as the nurse mentioned to me several side effects.  Are there cases where the tablets work without any effects?  If I am unlucky enough to be one of the people who get side effects, are there alternatives?  I honestly thought that the diuretics would be enough and I am upset at the thought of taking these drugs long term.  One other question.  My bp is considered to be hereditary as my mother suffers from hypertension and my father died of a massive heart attack.  My daughter is now 30 years old.  Should she be considering being monitored?  Many thanks for listening to a frightened 50 year old!

[Cleveland Clinic]

fireblade,

There are alot of options with respect to blood pressure medications and side effects.  Another class of medications are ACE inhibitors which are generally well tolerated. Work with your physician, if you develop side effects on one class, then switch.

2) My daughter is now 30 years old. Should she be considering being monitored? Many thanks for listening to a frightened 50 year old!

Yes. She should have at least a thorough history and physical. She could probably tie this to her well woman exaination.

good luck

[sampants]

I was on atenolol for several months for palpitations.  After a few days of slight drowziness I felt no side effects.  I was on a very low dose, so that could be the reason.  I took my pill at night so that it would enter my system while I was sleeping.  I think this helped.

Honestly, I went off the atenolol and kind of missed the feeling it gave me.  How weird is that?  I am free of any bothersome palps (still have an occasional strong beat or two) so my cardiologist said to stop taking it.

[sampants]

I was on atenolol for several months for palpitations.  After a few days of slight drowziness I felt no side effects.  I was on a very low dose, so that could be the reason.  I took my pill at night so that it would enter my system while I was sleeping.  I think this helped.

Honestly, I went off the atenolol and kind of missed the feeling it gave me.  How weird is that?  I am free of any bothersome palps (still have an occasional strong beat or two) so my cardiologist said to stop taking it.

[jobob52 ford]

Hi, Like Sampants, I was on atenolol for many years(12 or so), for arrythmia, had an ablation and now don't need it-but I miss it! I used to negotiate contracts for union electricians and steelworkers, my emotions would ramp way, way up( I was the eleventh hour show)and my heart was at a steady beat and low BP. Now if I get into a tiff with lazy 15 yr old son or 14 y o rebelious daughter I can tell HR and BP goes way out. I do miss atenolol. The only side effect I had could be cured with viagra, then again, I'm 51, was it really a side effect. I think that atenolol is pretty user friendly. Good Luck. Bob

[line]

This post is very interesting to me. I have white coat syndrome, but at home great b/p even taking it without resting for a few minuets. I do have some left ventricle enlargement and it was suggested by the Drs. here I go on b/p meds.which my Dr. agrees with. I am very hestitant about taking them, I am also one of those over sensitive people to meds. Would anyone know if a diruetic would help to keep the white coat under control or is there something in b/p meds that would help the enlargement better. I am new to this so do not know if I am understanding this the right way, that keeping your b/p under control could reverse the enlargemnent but should keep it from getting worse.

Thanks for any input.

[line]

Thanks Pluto, the ratios on my report say diastolic 0.6- 1.1 and D+33% are normal values, mumbers are 1.1  and 1.3, which the report says marked hypertrophy with diastolic dysfuntion, but it also says marked atrial enlargement which normal is 1.9 -4.0, mine is 4.0. My Dr, did mention diovan to me. She said she is not concerned with the numbers right now, but now is the time for meds. to keep it from going any further, she said this can lead to chf. She is concerned about the white coat. When I take it in a store it might be 130's over 70's but I go to the Dr. and it is 160/90 something.I understand her concern after reading this board, but am still afraid a med. will drop my pressure too low.

[Gaspipe]

I know all about the white coat BP thing however it is many times a precursor to sustained hypertension and many times treatment is benefical especially when you mention ventricular hypertropthy which may indicate your BP has been high more often than you realize. Good luck PS todays meds are so good and varied that its not worth walking around with high BP

[bigmick]

My last echo said 11-12mm for LV: cardio said fine given I'm 6'4.5" tall, 225lbs and quite a beefy built strong fella. Would you guys agree that a big strong chap like me is likely to have a thicker ventricle wall than say a smaller wiry kinda guy? (EF was 75% BTW.)

My BP at the hospital was 150/90 which is a little high, and my cardio said that mild hypertension can greatly increase ectopy and that he'd like to see it lower. SO I checked with my GP.... interestingly, BP were as follows:
1. electric pump up cuff 150/90
2. white dial faced modernish monitor (usually used in my surgery) 140/85
3. Old fashioned mercury measurer (banned here in UK cos of mercury) 120/80!!! (How it USED to be taken in the good 'ol days.)
My GP said I didn't need BP meds in his opinion, but agreed to give me some valsartan based on what my cardio (and EP) had said. I haven't taken any yet cos I'm still thinking about it. What do you guys think? I've been chewing on celery cos I've heard that this is a good natural way of lowering BP - anyone heard of this?

BM

[arries]

Well, I'm 6'3" and back in 1991 I was about 160 [thin].  My high BP since 1987 was never treated because it was not considered "high" enough to treat the systolic would on a regular basis go up into the 30's, 40's, 50's, and even 60's and 70's, but my diastolic was always in the lows around 80's, but would sometimes go to the 90's.  Back then they only looked at the diastolic or just one number [i think].  Today Mayo Clinic says you have to look at both numbers and if one of them is high then you should consider treating it.   In 1991, I was told that I had a large heart when I asked what that meant they told me that I had an "athletic' heart, I just learned [2003] that there is no such thing as an large heart being athletic.  I took this as being a good thing, so I ignored it.  An EKG in 1991 said that I had an LVH, RBBB, and Sinus Brady, but this was never discussed with with me.  The note read that the EKG showed an LVH because I have a thin chest, that echo was said to be normal in 1991.  In 1995, another EKG showed an LVH at a different clinic, and they also mentioned cardiomegaly again it was never discused with me, but I just assumed that it was an "athletic" heart.  [ The American Heart association told me that their is no such thing as an athletic heart being large.  You can still be an athletic person with a condition of a large heart.  ] After learning of the new BP standards of 2003, I started to get my BP done at the store, one times it was up to 170/100, and in 1987 it used to go up that high to.  I just learned that High BP causes LVH a few months ago, so I brought this to the attention of my doctor.  She claimed that my BP is fine, except for the few times I brough in the numbers, but she gave me fosinopril and did no further tests and told me to check it to see if I need to increase the meds. Another EKG showed an LVH, but I don't know what else because they lost the EKG, but did nothing else and increased the fosinopril to 40mg.  I don't have a thin chest like I used to and I've put on more weight, so I don't think a thin chest had anything to do with the reading of an LVH because it still shows an LVH.  Check the Mayo Clinic on hypertention standards that changed in 2003.  It should be below 120/80 and if any one number is high then your [pre]hypertensive.  It also mentions that if anyone is 115/75 then you could be at risk.  Then some say that everyone is different?

[bigmick]

Thanks for the input guys.

BM